Tag: southwoods

There is virtue in work, there is virtue in rest. Use both and overlook neither. ~Alan Cohen~

If you’re the type looking for so much more than food and drinks and chilling down south? Upperdeck bar and restaurant has more. They have pool, billiard hall, tattoo sessions and they have live acoustic and open mic jam. There’s ladies night, pay per views, name it.

There’s no denying that Upperdeck is a place where I can bring my friends not because the Owners are my friends but because the place is literally noteworthy. =)

A sweet couple so busy, still made time to see me. =)

So, one night, Jen and I went to the place and these are what we truly enjoyed. Most of their “Best sellers”!

It’s interiors by the way is not the soft type, and not too stiff at the same time. It has some quirky side and what’s eminent is its’ masculine side. Giving you hints that the prime movers of this cool place are actually four gentlemen. =)

Those are liquor bottles cut in half, so creative! =)

Over-all look and “feel” is just perfect for their offerings. =)

The whole idea just popped out during one of their usual time together and as determined as these four are, it came to life. Serving thousands who’d always leave pleased and are already planning as to when they’re going to go back. Just like Jen and I did. =)

So when you’re heading down south, wanting just to chill, unwind and enjoy the night, treat yourself by visiting Upperdeck!=)

Like this:

“Everyday may not be good, but there is always something good in everyday.”

Niña’s Kitchen is probably one the most talked-about restaurant in Laguna. Or becoming if I may say. It is a residential house which ground floor they turned into a commercial one, serving Filipino dishes (with a tweak) from breakfast to dinner.

I have been seeing it every so often from social media threads lately and out of curiosity, I dragged Jen one Sunday afternoon.

What made it more famous than its’ competitors is because it was endorsed by our former Ms. Universe since the owner is a friend (and a classmate) of hers.

Photos and memories..

The most photographed item that they offer per my research is the “suman sa lihiya (lye)”. So it was my first reason why I wanted to visit their place. My mom used to prepare this before, and I really miss it. She is old already and can’t perform usual tasks anymore.

The place is snug, there are decorative objects equally distributed in the garden,

there’s even a bike with a basket holding a bouquet of flowers, which created a country-feel and very laid-back scenery. Relaxing and thought-provoking as well.

The dining area is quite huge, which can hold more or less 50 guests. There are actually three separate rooms to dine and we chose the one in a corner. The space outside is huge too.

It leads to the front yard too though it stays unopened and the entrance for guests is the one in the main dining hall where the counter and kitchen is situated.

Jen and I both sitted in the tufted bench beside that gorgeous red door.

On your left upon entrance is the stairs with quotes that I spotted in several blogs. So I made sure we have a picture on it. #thisthingwithstairs

The decors that are equally distributed in every corner were hints that most of which were from the owner’s many travels.

We’re supposed to order pasta and burger, but they’re no longer available. According to the attendant, there was a surge earlier. When we came before dinner time, only three tables were occupied giving me the liberty to take photos of items that are interesting to me.

We then chose pizza with pepperonis and still they’re no longer available. We ended up ordering the one with mushrooms. Jen ordered for the churros and I got my suman sa lihiya.

As a disclaimer, the attendant warned us that the pizza must be consumed immediately. The pizza is good, a healthy option since it is meatless. But true enough, in all fairness, we were warned, the pizza dough got firmer, and it’s no longer chewy to the bite.

The churros for me is over-rated, there is nothing special to it except for that mint leaf, just as how you expect churros to be, while the chocolate dip is good, it didn’t remind me of a brand, and only a good chef can do it or it is home-made. =)

The Filipino way of gathering is skillfully interpreted in this place. Local favorites infused with some internationally known dishes and a homey ambience. Huge tables, family pictures, souvenirs, hanging plants, a Sto. Nino to guard the place, the greenery, makes-up for the over-all cozy feel.

Surely, we can celebrate some occasion here with friends and family. Or maybe even if without something to celebrate. =)

Like this:

“Mothers hold their child’s hand for a moment and their heart for a lifetime.”

My son had his ups and downs, this I could not deny, and at some point of his life, committed mistakes and were typically swayed by friends whom he thought are real and missed to maximize opportunities given to him by me and his father with the all-out and unending support of my friends and our family from both sides.

To my surprise, he enrolled himself to this Tesda institution providing courses in the Philippines at a lower fee. We can’t help but support him upon knowing, he used up all his money just to enroll himself and I guess it is a road less traveled for him. It is a 6-month course focusing on basic practices in the kitchen which is why he began infiltrating the kitchen with me. The course title is “Cookery”.

This school made him appreciate all the things that he enjoys. As it exposed him to some people that are deprived of things that are too ordinary to him. He learned to value things that he normally fail to notice.

Last Friday (March 27), was his Graduation day.

This one distracted me during the ceremony. It is so innate. It must be done by the artisans of Paete, Laguna.

Happy graduation son! been a while to see you go up the stage! =)

It took us hours for the event to finish. Knowing my son too well. His patience is tried, ours too and it left us tired and famished and all too excited for the reward, his graduation dinner. His sister (only girl cousin), they’re three actually, one sibling per sibling, graduated too with honors.

Witness them grow-up. They will always be my babies…

Our little girl…

Our unica hija!

Always an achiever..

Gabe ended her 7th grade as second honor. She’s the family’s pride, my son, was a bright kid too though more adventurous and didn’t look at academic achievements the same way we do, nevertheless, he is also our joy. He is a work in progress. A late bloomer if I may say.

His strongest point is his being sweet and forgiving and he is currently working out on his patience and retaliating back. He’s got this innate male ego. As his mother, regardless of his achievements, with or without, he is still my greatest blessing, he gave my life a better meaning.

He wanted to wait for the Graduation song as it is a very memorable song to him. It is what I used to sing for him when he was still a baby which became a habit. He actually memorized the song as we have been singing it for months., he would even sing it with action in front of us and we all loved that side of him.

Finally the rites concluded with that song and even if I can’t see him from where he is sitted, I knew in my heart, all the memories of our mother and son moment, he relived while the song was being played.

The last week of March is queued with graduation rites. We run out of reservations on all pizza parlors in our area. We were 5th on this certain pizza parlor and everyone were hungry so we ended up searching for open pizza parlors (it was already almost 10pm), on this village near Southwoods, Laguna. There’s a road there where restaurants were lined up and we finally ended up in Calda Pizza.

Interiors of Calda..

Calda Pizza used to be inside San Agusin school and they decided to bring it out for the public to appreciate, the place is on its second year.

Eclectic…

We had buffalo chicken, fried chicken (to think we also had chicken at Max’s earlier to celebrate Gabe’s graduation).

Mom requested for halo-halo…=)

Gabe requested for shrimps her favorite..next to bacon! ❤

Their version of Bagnet..

Echo called it caldechado… (caldereta and mechado combined)…

and 2 flavors of pizza. Which got him smiling the whole time.

Echo was eyeing the biggest one. “No Echo! Let’s just get the next size in 2 flavors!” – Still the same! ahaha

An addition to my collection of chalk-written menu board..

We’re hungry na kuya!

Can I have coffee please?

They have this..so guests can enjoy really a good time.. or spend on this while waiting.. They’re kinda used up our patience quota for the day..

Echo’s favorite is pepperoni…

Quiet please!

Are we? We gave the attendants some slices of cake..

We bought him a cake as requested, he wanted the mocha flavor.

His request..Mocha flavor…

It was a happy feeling to bond with my In-laws. The happiness I felt came from my son’s smile all through this occasion. And from the genuine love we both conspicuously felt from the whole family.

Our pride and joy!

We were all hoping that my son will soon be ready to embrace and grasp life’s challenges that are bigger than him.

As for now, I can only be grateful for today. This is Echo’s favorite quote:

Like this:

Hi! I’m Beaut!

They used to call me “Laguna girl”. I grew up in San Pedro, Laguna in the Southern part of the Philippines. An only daughter with an only son.Passionate with so many things. A lover of life itself. First is to write. I used to sing (I specifically love the stage), I read a lot,

I cook simple to challenging recipes for my loved ones, I travel to capture breathtaking pictures (inheriting my passion in Photography from my late father), a nature lover, I find rainbows, butterflies,

flowers,

rainbows and trees as God’s most beautiful gifts.

I love it that traveling allows me try and learn cuisines that are new to me (being a foodie) and I get to meet different people too.

I do abstract painting, I am a Craft enthusiast (quilting & scrap-booking), all of which are my own way of expressing my love for life and surround myself with anything but pretty.

Blogging makes me happy and I want to see if I’m going to click in that premise. Sharing anything that might benefit my circle and mankind too, specifically my fellow Filipinos here and abroad.

I’m a color devotee and been in love with the color purple or violet.

I like pink, red and teal too! =) I dreamt of joining that team who does colorful outdoor murals. Or anything that has to do with the Arts.

Coffee is my water,

and my comfort food are: blueberry cheesecake, frozen yogurt, sansrival and cream puff. I mastered fettuccine carbonara because it is my favorite, along broccoli with prawns and mushrooms.

I love “Stitch” – that grinning indigo pup and still in love with Daryl (remember those muscles in the series “The Walking Dead”).

I have a sort of vintage taste for Interior Designing, Gardening and Fashion (must be the gypsy in me). I am awed by it validating my wondering if I am an old soul.

Ultimately, I intend to be a not so famous Author someday. I’m just waiting for God’s time for my first book to be published.

Please drop by for a comment or two, you are always welcome here, come fly with me “On Purple Wings!”(–,)

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